The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is correcting a final rule that appeared in the Federal Register on December 11, 2014 (79 FR 73750). The final rule amends the general provisions of the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule to establish chemical-specific and default global warming potentials (GWPs) for a number of fluorinated greenhouse gases (F-GHGs) and fluorinated heat transfer fluids (F-HTFs). The rule also includes conforming changes to the provisions for the Electronics Manufacturing and Fluorinated Gas Production source categories.

2014-12-11; vol. 79 # 238 - Thursday, December 11, 2014

79 FR 73750 - Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program: Addition of Global Warming Potentials to the General Provisions and Amendments and Confidentiality Determinations for Fluorinated Gas Production

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is adding chemical-specific and default global warming potentials (GWPs) for a number of fluorinated greenhouse gases (F-GHGs) and fluorinated heat transfer fluids (F-HTFs) to the general provisions of the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule. Currently, these fluorinated GHGs and HTFs are not assigned GWPs under the rule. The changes will increase the completeness and accuracy of the carbon dioxide (CO 2 )-equivalent emissions calculated and reported by suppliers and emitters of fluorinated GHGs and HTFs. The EPA is also making conforming changes to the provisions for the Electronics Manufacturing and Fluorinated Gas Production source categories. In addition, the EPA is amending certain provisions of the Fluorinated Gas Production source category to reduce the level of detail in which emissions are reported, eliminate the mass-balance emission calculation method, and clarify the emission factor method. These amendments also include an alternative verification approach for this source category in lieu of collecting certain data elements for which the EPA has identified disclosure concerns and for which the reporting deadline was deferred until March 31, 2015. In addition, this action establishes confidentiality determinations for certain reporting requirements of the Fluorinated Gas Production source category.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is finalizing revisions and confidentiality determinations for the petroleum and natural gas systems source category and the general provisions of the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule. These revisions include changes to certain calculation methods, amendments to certain monitoring and data reporting requirements, clarification of certain terms and definitions, and corrections to certain technical and editorial errors that have been identified during the course of implementation. This action also finalizes confidentiality determinations for new or substantially revised data elements contained in these amendments and revises the confidentiality determination for one existing data element.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is amending the reporting and recordkeeping requirements of the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program. These amendments include an alternative verification approach in lieu of collecting certain data elements for which the EPA has identified disclosure concerns and for which the reporting deadline was deferred until March 31, 2015. The alternative verification approach includes the addition of new verification, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements while maintaining the EPA's ability to verify emissions and ensure compliance with the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program. In conjunction with the amendments, the EPA is establishing final confidentiality determinations for the new data elements added in this action.

This is a list of United States Code sections, Statutes at Large, Public Laws, and Presidential Documents, which provide rulemaking authority for this CFR Part.

The comment period for the proposed rule published on December 9, 2014 (79 FR 73147) has been extended. Comments must be received on or before February 24, 2015.

40 CFR Part 98

Summary

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing an extension of the public comment period for the proposed rule titled “Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program: 2015 Revision and Confidentiality Determinations for Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems”. The public comment period for this proposal began on December 9, 2014. This document announces the extension of the deadline for public comment from February 9, 2015 to February 24, 2015.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is correcting a final rule that appeared in the Federal Register on December 11, 2014 (79 FR 73750). The final rule amends the general provisions of the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule to establish chemical-specific and default global warming potentials (GWPs) for a number of fluorinated greenhouse gases (F-GHGs) and fluorinated heat transfer fluids (F-HTFs). The rule also includes conforming changes to the provisions for the Electronics Manufacturing and Fluorinated Gas Production source categories.

The public comment period for this proposal began on December 9, 2014 (79 FR 73148) with the opportunity for a public hearing 15 days later on December 24, 2014. This notice announces that the public hearing date has been changed to January 8, 2015. Public comments for this proposal are due February 9, 2015.

40 CFR Part 98

Summary

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing a change in date for the public hearing for the proposed rule titled “Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program: 2015 Revision and Confidentiality Determinations for Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems”. The original public hearing date was December 24, 2014, and the new public hearing date will be January 8, 2015.

2014-12-11; vol. 79 # 238 - Thursday, December 11, 2014

79 FR 73750 - Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program: Addition of Global Warming Potentials to the General Provisions and Amendments and Confidentiality Determinations for Fluorinated Gas Production

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is adding chemical-specific and default global warming potentials (GWPs) for a number of fluorinated greenhouse gases (F-GHGs) and fluorinated heat transfer fluids (F-HTFs) to the general provisions of the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule. Currently, these fluorinated GHGs and HTFs are not assigned GWPs under the rule. The changes will increase the completeness and accuracy of the carbon dioxide (CO 2 )-equivalent emissions calculated and reported by suppliers and emitters of fluorinated GHGs and HTFs. The EPA is also making conforming changes to the provisions for the Electronics Manufacturing and Fluorinated Gas Production source categories. In addition, the EPA is amending certain provisions of the Fluorinated Gas Production source category to reduce the level of detail in which emissions are reported, eliminate the mass-balance emission calculation method, and clarify the emission factor method. These amendments also include an alternative verification approach for this source category in lieu of collecting certain data elements for which the EPA has identified disclosure concerns and for which the reporting deadline was deferred until March 31, 2015. In addition, this action establishes confidentiality determinations for certain reporting requirements of the Fluorinated Gas Production source category.

Comments must be received on or before February 9, 2015. Public Hearing. The EPA does not plan to conduct a public hearing unless requested. To request a hearing, please contact the person listed in the following FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section by December 16, 2014. If requested, the hearing will be conducted on December 24, 2014, in the Washington, DC area. The EPA will provide further information about the hearing on the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program Web site, http://www.epa.gov/ghgreporting/index.html if a hearing is requested.

40 CFR Part 98

Summary

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing revisions and confidentiality determinations for the petroleum and natural gas systems source category of the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program. In particular, the EPA is proposing to add calculation methods and reporting requirements for greenhouse gas emissions from gathering and boosting facilities, completions and workovers of oil wells with hydraulic fracturing, and blowdowns of natural gas transmission pipelines between compressor stations. The EPA is also proposing well identification reporting requirements to improve the EPA's ability to verify reported data and enhance transparency. This action also proposes confidentiality determinations for new data elements contained in these proposed amendments.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is finalizing revisions and confidentiality determinations for the petroleum and natural gas systems source category and the general provisions of the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule. These revisions include changes to certain calculation methods, amendments to certain monitoring and data reporting requirements, clarification of certain terms and definitions, and corrections to certain technical and editorial errors that have been identified during the course of implementation. This action also finalizes confidentiality determinations for new or substantially revised data elements contained in these amendments and revises the confidentiality determination for one existing data element.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is amending the reporting and recordkeeping requirements of the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program. These amendments include an alternative verification approach in lieu of collecting certain data elements for which the EPA has identified disclosure concerns and for which the reporting deadline was deferred until March 31, 2015. The alternative verification approach includes the addition of new verification, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements while maintaining the EPA's ability to verify emissions and ensure compliance with the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program. In conjunction with the amendments, the EPA is establishing final confidentiality determinations for the new data elements added in this action.

Comments must be received on or before September 2, 2014, unless a hearing is requested. If a hearing is requested, comments must be received on or before September 15, 2014. Public Hearing. The EPA does not plan to conduct a public hearing unless requested. To request a hearing, please contact the person listed in the following FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section by August 7, 2014. Upon such request, the EPA will hold the hearing on August 15, 2014, in the Washington, DC area. The EPA will provide further information about the hearing on the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program Web site, http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/ghgrulemaking.html if a hearing is requested.

40 CFR Part 98

Summary

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to add chemical-specific and default global warming potentials (GWPs) for a number of fluorinated greenhouse gases (GHGs) and fluorinated heat transfer fluids (HTFs) to the general provisions of the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule. Currently, these fluorinated GHGs and HTFs are not assigned GWPs under the rule. The proposed changes would increase the completeness and accuracy of the carbon dioxide (CO 2 )-equivalent emissions calculated and reported by suppliers and emitters of fluorinated GHGs and HTFs. In addition, the EPA is proposing conforming changes to the provisions for the Electronics Manufacturing and Fluorinated Gas Production source categories.